Tool



April 28, 1 c. A. BRYANT TOOL Filed March 19, 1928 Patented Apr. 28, 1931 UNITED STATE CYRUS A. BRYANT, OF IPASSAIC, NEW JERSEY TOOL Application filed March 19, 1928.

My invention relates to improvements in tools and particularly to that class of tools in which a two-member handle is acted upon by a spring to press apart the members.

An object of my invention is to provide a simple and convenient means for spreading the members forming the handle of a tool, a further object of my invention is to provide spring means for locking the members of a handle in closed relation, a further object of my invention 18 to provide simple and convenient spring means for facilitating the operation of a tool and for locking the members of a tool handle comprising plural parts.

I accomplish these objects by the device illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view of a tool closed, with the spring shown in dotted lines in locked position Figure 2 is a view of the same open and with the parts shown in dotted lines at maximum expansion, and

Figure 3 is a detail of the spring.

Similar characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

My invention'may be advantageously em ployed in tools of various kinds as well as in various other mechanical devices in which it is desired to spread or fasten in fixed relation two or more separablemembers.

The drawings are for illustration only and are not intended to limit the invention.

I have shown in the drawings a tool embodying my invention, in which two pivotally connected handled members 1 and 2 constitute the handle and are fulcrumed at 3 whereby they may be spread or brought together as desired. V 7 On the member 1, I provide a curved leaf spring 4, the free end section 5 of which normally bears against and presses upon the inner face 2 of the member 2, whereby the free ends of the handle members 1 and 2 are normally pressed apart to an open position.

Serial No. 262,788.

The spring 4: is secured at its base 11, to the member 1, adjacent the-fulcrum 3, by means of a rivet 6 or in any other desired manner and is preferably countersunk in the member 1 in such manner as not to interfere with the operation and closing of the handle sections.

Adjacent the-free end 5 of the spring 4, I provide a cut out seat, Which'may be in the form of an elongated slot 7, adapted to be engaged by the lugs 8 and 9 respectively, on the handle member 2, as hereinafter described.

The device being thus assembled, the free end section 5 of the spring 4: will normally bear against the inner face-2 of the handle member 2 and thu's tend to spread apart the free ends of the handle members 1 and 2 toward the position shown bythe dotted lines in Figure 2.

In use, the separable handle members 1 and 2 are grasped by the hand of the operator and pressed together manually by force exerted against the pressure of the spring 4 which normally tends to spread the handle membersl and 2 apart as the pressure by the hand of the operator is reduced, and the free end section 5 of the spring 4 will thus slide upon the face 2 of the member 2 as the handle opens and closes.

I provide on the handle member-,2 a. lug 9 so positioned as to detachably engage the slot 7 in the free end 5 of the spring 4 when the handle membersl and 2 reach the predetermined point of desired maximum nor mal spread.

A lug 8 is positioned on the handle member 2 at a point beyond that reached by the seat 7 of the spring 4': at the extreme point of travel along the handle member 2 toward its 85 free end, in the course of operation as abovedescribed, so that the lug 8 will not be nor mally engaged by the slot or seat 7. The h1g8 preferably has an inclined face on its. side toward the-approach of the spring 4 so 90 that the spring 4 will be the more easily carried up over the lug 8 as it approaches the point of engagement.

In operation, the spring 4 will thus constantly tend to spread apart the free ends of the handle members 1 and 2 in operation, the spread being limited at the point of desired maximum expansion by the lug 9 and seat 7, it being however, possible to permit further expansion of the members 1 and 2 by releas ing the seat 7 from engagement with the lug 9, which maybe done by lifting the free end of the'spring 4 so that the slot 7 is released from engagement with the lug 9, when the spring 4 will be free to exert further its pressure against the handle member 2 and spread the handle members as shown by the dotted lines in Figure 2 to their maximum spread, limited only by the expansion of the spring and the form and construction of the tool. The lug 9 is provided with an inclined face 9 on the side approached by the spring in its travel from maximum expansion to the normal operative position and with a vertical face on the side approached by the spring in its travel from its compressed position whereby the lug 9 is operative to limit the'spread of the handle members but does not prevent them from being pressed together.

hen it is desired to lock the handle members 1 and 2m closed relation, the handle members are brought together to the position of maximum compression, at which position the slot 7 of the spring 4will lie short of the point of engagement with the lug 8'and pressure is then exerted against the convex side of the spring 4 reducing the bend of the spring 4, as shown by dotted lines in Figure 1, thereby extending the end section 5 of the spring 4 until its slot or seat 7 reaches and engages the lug 8. Thetension of the spring 4 will thus hold or look. the handle members 1 and 2 in closed relation.

I find it desirable to so constructthe device that the pivot or fulcru1n3, the base 11 of the spring 4 and the lug 8 will be in approximately the same lineal plane when the handle members are at the position of maximum compression. The spring 4 is of such length and form that when in locked position the bend intermediate the ends of the spring 4will'provide sufficient slaclrso that the spring maybe extended sufiiciently to permit the seat 7 of the spring 4 to be released'from its'engagement with the lug-8 whereby the handle members may be unlocked for operative use. As will thusbe observed, thespring 4 performs the double function of'spreading thehandle members inoperativeuseand also locking the handle members in closed relation; as desired.

Having thus described my invention; what I claim is:

1. Ina device of the'character described. the combination of' a pair'ofpivotally connected handled members, a spring fixed to one of said members adjacent the pivotal connection and having a free end adapted to bear against the other said member and adapted to freely slide thereon when the handles swing on their pivotal connection, a seat in the free end of said spring, and engaging means on said other member adapted to engage said seat in the spring when the spring is extended beyond the point of maximum normal travel.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a pair of pivot-ally connected handle members, spring means fixed to one of said handle members and having a free end. engaging means on the other said handle member positioned beyond the field of normal travel of the spring and adapted to engage said spring adjacent its free end when the spring is extended beyond its normal maximum travel.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a pair of separable handle members, spring means therebetween and adapted to normally spread said handle members, engaging means on said handle members adapted to engage the spring means to limit theexpansion of the handle members and other engaging means on said handle members adapted to engage said spring means to lock the handle members in closed relation.

4. In a device of'the character described the combination of a pair of crossed handle members, a pivotal connection therefor, spring means adapted to spread said handle members, lugs on said handle members adapted to engage said spring means, said spring -means being adapted to be extended atthe position of maximum operative compression whereby one ofsaid'lugs maybe engaged to lock the handle members in closed relation.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination of a pair of pivotally connected handled members, spring means capable of expansion secured to one of said handled members adjacent the pivotal connection and having a free end adapted to bear against the other said handled member, spaced lngs on the other saidhandled member positioned to permit said'free end of the spring means to freely slide between said lugs,'one of said lugs being adapted to engage said spring means to limit'the spread of the handles and the other said lug being'positioned' to engage said spring means beyond the pointofnormal maximum expansion to lock the handles. 6; In a device of the character described, the combination of a pairof pivotally connected handle members, spring means securedto one of said handle members'adjacent the pivotal connection and adapted tobear against the inner face-0f the other said handle memberand'to'travel thereon, a pair of spaced lugs on the other said handle memher, said lugs having inclined faces in the direction of the pivotal connection and having substantially vertical faces on their opposite sides to permit the travel of the spring means freely in the direction of the free end of the said handle and to restrict the inward travel of said spring means, one of said lugs being positioned beyond the normal field of travel of said spring means and being engaged thereby to lock said handle members in closed relation When said spring is extended.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this twelfth day of March, 1928.

CYRUS A. BRYANT. 

